Kollam: The country is capable of sending satellites to Mars and can make major contributions in the field of studying and exploring the red planet, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman K. Radhakrishnan has said.

We need a community of scientists for the future for the mission, he said after launching the book Kanika Prapancham authored by the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Calicut and astrophysics teacher G.K. Sasidharan here on Friday.

The nation’s inter-planetary exploration programme got initiated through Chandrayaan, he said. Chandrayaan had also made science fascinating to the younger generation. It is the duty of the nation to bring more and more youngsters into science, he said. Unfortunately, very few people are coming forward to study basic science topics. The trend is to choose money-making branches for study, he added. Kanika Prapancham is written in simple language and deals with the origin and truth of the universe, Mr. Radhakrishnan said.